SBS Reveals Exclusive FIFA World Cup 2026 Broadcast Schedule

SBS has unveiled its live television schedule for the FIFA World Cup 2026™, confirming every one of the tournament’s 104 matches will be broadcast live and free across SBS, SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand. The expanded competition, staged across 16 cities in three host nations, will also feature the first-ever World Cup Final halftime show.

With a strong focus on accessible viewing times for Australian audiences, 69% of live matches will air between 6.00am and 4.30pm (AEST). Every match will be available to stream on demand in full, alongside 3‑minute highlights, 12‑minute extended highlights and 30‑minute mini matches.

Coverage kicks off on Friday 12 June (AEST) with the Opening Ceremony at Mexico City’s iconic Azteca Stadium, followed by the curtain-raiser between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa. Respected football presenters Niav Owens and Claudio Fabiano will lead SBS’s studio coverage.

Under head coach Tony Popovic, the Socceroos will begin their Group D campaign against Türkiye at 1.00pm (AEST) on Sunday 14 June, before facing co-hosts USA at 4.00am (AEST) on Saturday 20 June and Paraguay at 11.00am (AEST) on Friday 26 June. David Basheer and two-time FIFA World Cup™ Socceroo Luke Wilkshire will provide exclusive on-the-ground commentary for Australia’s group fixtures.

Joining previously announced headliners Harry Kewell and Lydia Williams, SBS’s guest line-up features former FIFA World Cup stars and fan favourites Tommy Oar and Andrew Redmayne, ex-AC Milan and Ghana midfielder Kevin‑Prince Boateng, and former Matilda and football executive Sarah Walsh. They will be complemented by international presenter Adriano Del Monte, football content creators Adamo De Nigris, Kat Sasso and Sam Jurman, and SBS presenters Darren Mara, Breanna Holden and Adrian Arciuli.

SBS will air live and exclusively the tournament’s first-ever FIFA World Cup™ Final Halftime Show from New York New Jersey Stadium on Monday 20 July (AEST), starring global icons Madonna, Shakira and BTS. Curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay, the performance will blend football, music and social impact, support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, and include appearances by characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets.

Beyond live matches, SBS will deliver extensive coverage across its platforms. The FIFA World Cup™ Hub on SBS On Demand will host live streams, replays and a wealth of extras. For the first time, SBS Sport will run Watch‑Along Live Streams on TikTok for select matches — including Australia v Türkiye on 14 June and Paraguay v Australia on 26 June — offering creator-led commentary, fan interaction and live coverage of the opening 10 minutes. The Football Briefing, a daily vodcast fronted by David Basheer and Luke Wilkshire with special guests, will provide on-the-ground insights via SBS On Demand and the SBS Sport YouTube channel. The SBS Sport website’s FIFA World Cup™ event page will feature schedules, highlights, news and, closer to kick-off, an interactive match centre as a second-screen companion.

Hyundai, Hisense, Macca’s, Rexona, bet365, Commonwealth Bank and Youi are supporting the FIFA World Cup 2026™ as SBS official broadcast partners.

Fans can follow SBS Sport across YouTube, TikTok, X, Instagram and Facebook for updates throughout the tournament.

The FIFA World Cup 2026™ runs from 12 June to 20 July (AEST), with every match live and free on SBS, SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand.

www.sbs.com.au/aboutus/